Canada is preparing for a major shift in defence policy, one that could reshape not only its military capabilities, but also its economy and global partnerships.

In this episode of Futureproofing Canada, host Jennifer Ditchburn speaks with Jeff Collins, a defence policy expert at the University of Prince Edward Island, about what’s driving Canada’s push toward significantly higher military spending and a new defence strategy .

They discuss how renewed pressure from the United States, growing geopolitical competition, and the war in Ukraine have forced a rethink of Canada’s security assumptions. The conversation explores the challenges of defence procurement, the ambition to build a stronger domestic defence industry, and the realities of operating alongside, and increasingly independently from, the United States.